


Doubts

by carolej126



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally published in Sensory Overload 9 (Neon Rainbow Press, 2004)</p>
<p>Jim has some doubts about his abilities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doubts

"Whoa!" Blair Sandburg grabbed for a handhold as the blue and white Ford truck took the corner a little too fast for his peace of mind and possibly his well-being. Darting a look at his partner, he suggested, "Think maybe we could slow down a little, Jim?"

Silent ever since leaving the scene of the latest violent home invasion, Jim Ellison didn't seem to hear Blair's request. Instead, he continued to drive, jaw clenched tight and white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, back toward the station.

"Jim?" When there was still no response, Blair took a deep breath and quietly offered, "Look, I know this case is a tough one, but I'm sure it won't be long before–"

"Don't patronize me, Sandburg. We're not any closer to nailing these guys and you know it!" Jim snapped.

"It's just going to take a little more time, Jim," Blair responded calmly, refusing to take offense at his friend's harsh words.

"We're running out of time! Three people have already been hurt; the last one ended up in the hospital! Sooner or later, if I don't do something–" The detective swallowed hard, making a visible effort to calm down before going on. "If I don't catch them, someone will end up dead."

"Maybe we should go back to the crime scenes, give your senses another chance to–"

"What good are my senses, Chief? Tell me that!" Jim interrupted again. "What good are they?" he repeated softly. "We've been over each house twice and my senses didn't find anything."

"Think about all the times your senses have helped, Jim," Blair countered. "Look at all the cases you've solved, all the lives you've saved." He chuckled, adding, "Mine included, by the way."

Unconsciously relaxing in response to his Guide's calm voice, Jim let out a deep sigh. "I know," he admitted, his foot easing off the gas. "Sorry. I didn't mean to take it out on you. It's just… I should have found something."

Blair considered his response for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe you were trying too hard."

"What do you mean?" Jim asked, taking his gaze off the road for a brief instant to look at Blair.

"Do you still have a headache?"

"Yeah," Jim admitted, massaging his temples at the reminder. "Why?"

"Because you usually get a headache when you're pushing your senses too hard. Maybe if you relax a little–"

"Relax a little?" Jim parroted back skeptically.

"Yeah. Don't push. Don't even think about it, just let your senses do their thing."

Jim shook his head. "I don't know, Chief."

At the look of discouragement on his friend's face, Blair reached across the seat to place a reassuring hand on Jim's arm. "We're going to get them."

"I hope so."

"I know so," Blair declared confidently.

"You do, huh?"

"Yep."

"And how do you know that?" Jim queried, a smile teasing at the corners of his mouth.

"Simple. With us on their trail, the bad guys don't stand a chance."

Jim glanced at his partner in amusement before commenting, "Sandburg, have you been watching Starsky and Hutch reruns again?"

Blair grinned, bouncing in his seat. "Hey, I can't help it if Ysabella likes that show."

"I can think of better ways to spend a date than watching old television shows, Darwin."

"Hey, at least I had a date on Friday night," Blair teased right back. "So, which one am I?"

Jim raised his eyebrows. "Chief, describe Starsky."

"Ummm, well, he was kind of on the short side, had dark curly hair, and–"

"Case closed."

"Hey, wait a minute! If I'm Starsky, shouldn't I be driving?" Blair asked mischievously.

Jim chuckled. "Sandburg, does this truck look like a red toma– Hang on!"

"Whoa!" Blair shouted for the second time that afternoon, both hands flying up to brace against the dashboard as Jim swerved the truck sharply to miss the black Chrysler that had unexpectedly careened out of a side-street, narrowly missing the Ford's front bumper by inches.

"Idiots!" With a deft flick of his wrist, Jim switched on the blue and red flashers as he slammed the gas pedal to the floor in pursuit of the car now speeding down the street ahead of them. "They're just asking for an accident."

The black car continued its rapid pace for several blocks before beginning to slow, finally coming to a stop along the side of the road.

"The license plate is blacked out," Blair noted.

"Yep." Pulling in behind the Chrysler, Jim swung his door open. "Stay in the truck," he directed. "Call it in, ask for back-up."

Blair nodded, the cell phone already in his hand. He hit the automatic dial button as the detective positioned himself behind the driver's side door, weapon drawn.

"Cascade PD! Get out of the car slowly, and put your hands in the air."

There was no response from the two figures inside the black car.

"Cascade PD! Get out of the car!"

"Jim," Blair called in a low tone, knowing his voice would be audible to his partner. "A liquor store on New Haven was just hit. Suspects armed and dangerous. Get-away car described as a late model black or dark blue Chrysler. Back-up is on the way."

Nodding his acknowledgment, Jim shouted, "Cascade PD! Get out of the car now, and put your hands in the air."

After a few seconds, both front doors opened simultaneously, two young men exiting with hands held high.

Jim moved out from behind the door's shielding, approaching the car slowly and carefully, gun held at the ready. "Keep your hands where I can see them," he ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

Seeing the apparent willing cooperation of the two young men, Blair relaxed slightly, only to flinch in surprise at Jim's frantic shout.

"Sandburg, get down!"

Blair dove for the seat, dropping the cell phone in his haste, as a volley of shots rang out, shattering the pick-up's front windshield. From his prone position, he listened as Jim returned fire. Gunfire continued for a few more seconds, then he heard the sound of car doors slamming and a car tearing down the street.

"Sandburg?" Jim called. "Chief, are you okay?"

Relieved to hear the sound of Jim's voice, Blair cautiously raised his head. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jim reassured, as he opened the passenger door.

Still breathing heavily from their close call, Blair nodded in the direction of the quickly disappearing Chrysler. "Shouldn't we?"

Jim gestured toward the front end of the Ford truck with disgust. "Not with two flat tires."

"So they're going to get away?" Blair asked in outrage, climbing out of the now-disabled vehicle.

"Nope," Jim responded, his ears tuned to the sound of the approaching siren. "Back-up's almost here." The words were barely out of his mouth when the Cascade PD squad car roared up.

"You guys okay?" the uniformed officers called out through the open window. At the affirmative response, the car took off in pursuit.

"How did you know?" Blair asked curiously. "I thought they were giving up."

Jim shrugged. "I just did. I guess I must have–" He broke off, eyes narrowing in thought.

"Jim?"

"I heard three heartbeats," Jim said in stunned realization, looking up to meet Blair's gaze in wonder. "And then a gun hammer being pulled back."

Blair shook his head, his eyes wide. "Wow." He was quiet for a moment, then abruptly reached out to smack Jim's arm. "See? This is what I was talking about! Without your senses, we'd probably be dead."

"I know, I know," Jim admitted. Reaching out for his partner and friend, Jim draped his arm around Blair's shoulders. "Okay, Starsk, what say we call for a tow truck?"

"Sounds good, Hutch."

"And tomorrow…"

"Yeah?"

A newfound confidence shining in his eyes, Jim said, "We'll take another look at those crime scenes."

 

~end~


End file.
